Tim Thornton is Professor of History and Deputy Vice-Chancellor at the University of Huddersfield.Katharine Carlton is Research Assistant at the University of Huddersfield.

• Introduction1 Background and legal framework2 The extent of bastardy among the elite3 The role and status of the mistress4 Gentlewomen and their lovers5 The ‘wronged’ partner6 The bastard childrenConclusionIndex

'A gentleman’s mistress makes a welcome contribution to studies of elite sexual behavior through its focus on the often-neglected north, its inclusion of the entire landed elite rather than just the peerage or court circles, its attention to the women involved in illegitimate relationships, and its coverage of a long-timespan, including the Yorkist and early Tudor periods'Judith J Hurwich, The Sixteenth Century Journal